Noonday Adventures Guided UTV Tour Policies

Noonday Adventures* prides itself on providing a safe and exciting adventure for visitors of the Nantahala Area. Because of the risks associated with the experience, certain precautions must be made. Please understand the following company policies are in place to keep everyone safe and to help promote an enjoyable lake experience for everyone.

General Tour Policies

Reservation Policies

• Reservations must be made by someone at least 21 years of age or older with a valid driver’s license (See Guided UTV Tour Operation/Rules below)

• Reservations can be made through our website www.visitlakesend.com/noonday-adventures-utv-tours.com, over the phone by calling us at (828) 321-3001, or walk-in.

• Tour time and duration are outlined in your tour reservation details.

• A credit card is required to make a reservation.

• All tours are to be paid in full at the time of booking.

• While cash payments may be accepted in the Marina Store and Lakes End Café & Grill, the use of cashless payment methods (credit, debit, or Noonday Adventures gift cards) are required for UTV Tours.

• All persons involved with our activities and tours acknowledge that said activities are   potentially dangerous and agree to hold Noonday Adventures, all owners, employees, and affiliated properties harmless.

Age Requirements

• Must be 21 years old to drive, with a valid driver’s license or at least 18 years old with a legal guardian over 21 years of age in the same UTV with a valid driver’s license.

• Minimum age for guests on the tours is 6 years old.

Pet Policy

• No pets are allowed on Guided UTV Tours.

Prior to Tour Departure

• Drivers and passengers are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of the tour to complete the rental agreement, receive a comprehensive safety and operation briefing.

• Drivers and passengers must complete the rental agreement, receive safety equipment, receive a comprehensive safety briefing, and operation orientation before entering the UTV and starting the tour.

• Noonday Adventures guide and staff will distribute all safety equipment.

• Noonday Adventures guide and staff will go over basic operations and safety information with drivers and passengers at the UTV before the start of the tour.

Tour Return Policies

• All vehicles will undergo an inspection for any damages of the UTV upon return from the UTV Tour.

• Driver/Renter is responsible for any damages and potential charges associated with the damages.

Tour Policies

• On all tours, all riders must be in a designated seat wearing a seatbelt while in the UTV and the UTV is in motion. Helmets are available upon request for scenic tours.

• On all tours, any children under the age of 15 must wear helmets while in the UTV and the UTV is in motion, which are provided by Noonday Adventures at no additional cost.

• On off-road tours, everyone must wear helmets when in the UTV and the UTV is in motion, which are provided by Noonday Adventures at no additional cost.

• Always keep all hands and feet inside the vehicle.

• No Alcohol or Drugs Allowed. If operators or guests arrive and seem to be under the influence, the operator’s rental will be canceled and forfeit of the amount paid.

• Operators must follow the guide along the designated route, no driving off on your own.

• Guides will go over all guidelines, operations, and rules of the road; failure to obey the rules or operate the UTV in a safe way as deemed by the guide, can result in the loss of driving privileges, end of your tour, and/or loss of amount paid.

• All operators are expected to stay in a single file line, no passing allowed.

• Reckless Driving as deemed by the guide can result in the loss of driving privileges, end of your tour, and/or loss of amount paid.

• No spinning of tires, donuts, or jumps with the UTV. Doing so can cause damage to the UTVs and your riders. Doing so will result in the revocation of driving privileges, end of your tour, and/or loss of amount paid.

• Fuel/Gas for the UTV’s are provided at no extra charge.

• All safety equipment (Helmets, Safety Glasses, Fire extinguishers, First Aid Kits, and Radios with Communication to the guide) is provided at no charge with every rental.

• Food and beverages, as well as coolers are permitted on guided tours. Please be courteous and remember to properly dispose of your trash and leave no trace.

• Noonday Adventures reserves the right to cancel your reservation without refund for any violations of our policies.

  Changes to Tours:

• Reasonable changes in trips and tours may be made where deemed advisable for the comfort and well-being of the participants, including cancellation due to weather, high winds, temperature, insufficient bookings and other factors. A full refund will be given if we are forced to cancel a trip or tour.

Cancellation & Rescheduling Policies

Standard Cancellation Policy:

• Full refund for cancellations 3-days (72 hours) prior to the day of the scheduled tour. Cancellations made less than the 3-day (72 hour) cutoff will result in the forfeit of the tour amount.

• Cancellations made ahead of the known cutoff period will receive their full refund or apply to an alternative date and time (based on availability).

• A "no show" with no prior notice or contact, will result in the loss of the tour amount.

• The Credit Card used to make the reservation will be charged any applicable cancellation fee or no-show fee (as described above).

• Noonday Adventures reserves the right, solely at our discretion, to reschedule and/or cancel your reservation in the event of inclement weather. Please see “Weather Policies” for more details.

• Noonday Adventures reserves the right, solely at our discretion, and based on availability to attempt to reschedule your reservation at no penalty or additional fee before canceling.

UTV Tour Cancellation Protection:

Noonday Adventures offers an exclusive service for our guests; the freedom to change your mind and not worry about cancellation.

• Non-refundable cancellation insurance can be purchased at the time the reservation is made.

• Full refund, except for the cost of cancellation insurance, for cancellations made with 24 hours of the scheduled start of the activity. Cancellations made after the 24-hour cutoff will result in the forfeit of the rental amount.

Rescheduling Rentals

• While every effort will be made to reschedule your rental for an appropriate alternative date and/or time, we cannot guarantee the same rental availability.

• Rescheduling rentals does not guarantee the same rental rates. Rescheduling a rental can reflect a change in the rate based on seasonal demand. 

Weather Policies

Noonday Adventures operates in an area of the Nantahala National Forest that is located within the Appalachian Temperate Rain Forest, to assist our guests, below are the Noonday Adventures policies related to weather.

What constitutes as good and bad weather for guided UTV Tours can be highly subjective. It is the renter’s responsibility to stay informed on local weather conditions prior to the scheduled rental.

Unfortunately, we have no control over the weather or changes in the weather. It is our policy to prevent accidents from occurring by reserving the right to restrict UTV Tours during bad weather.

The following policies are in place regarding UTV Tours related to weather.

• UTV Tours go Rain or shine. Vehicles are equipped with the proper road safety equipment (windshield wipers, headlights, horns) to safely operate in all standard and mild weather conditions.

• UTV Tours stand regardless of weather conditions with the exception of inclement weather. Inclement weather is defined as weather where there are unsafe conditions, such as a warning of severe thunderstorms, high wind advisory or tornados, heavy rain or flood advisory, and lighting within the recommended 6-mile range.

• Noonday Adventures reserves the right, solely at our discretion, to cancel or reschedule your reservation in the event of inclement weather. While every effort will be made to reschedule your rental for an appropriate alternative date and/or time, we cannot guarantee the same availability.

• If we feel the weather will cause a safety issue prior to your rental, we will call the phone number on your reservation to let you know ahead of time and review potential options regarding cancellation or rescheduling.

• In the case weather turns severe while you are on the tour, the guide will assist in seeking a place of safety away from open land and out of high winds.

• No partial refunds/discounts or extra time will be made related to weather for early returns. 

While some parts of the tour may be windy and rough other parts may be calmer and very nice.

Please dress for the weather. It is a good idea to pack a sweatshirt, windbreaker, or blanket and towels as conditions can cool down rapidly after inclement weather.

 Please reference the Noonday Adventures Cancelation Policy or give us a call at 828-321-3001 regarding Cancelation or Weather Policy questions.

Permitting Policies:

Noonday Adventures holds permits and leases to operate on permitted U.S. Forest Service roads and land.

On all US Forest Service roads and land used in tours, the U.S. Forest Service is charged with protecting and preserving the wilderness. Noonday Adventures is proud to hold permits, allowing us to operate and conduct guided tours on protected land and waters that might otherwise be inaccessible to most members of the public. Noonday Adventures operates on a non- discriminatory basis and Noonday Adventures is an equal opportunity employer. 

In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age disability and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status or parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.  (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TDD).  To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC, 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).  USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.”

*Operating under USFS Special Use Permit and Noonday Adventures is an equal opportunity provider.